Hermetically sealed package



Oct. 25, 1966 R. J. O'BRIEN ET AL 3,281,051

HERMETICALLY SEALED PACKAGE Filed Aug. 12, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 jzuezzao7zs R05 67".? z/ 027 2872 72726)" h/ 61 26.56, z/n

Oct. 25, 1966 R. J. O'BRIEN ETA!- 3,281,051

HERMETICALLY SEALED PACKAGE Filed Aug. 12, 1963 5 Sheets-$heet s 31.25.5 5A 9 a 29 140 0101 W Oct. 25, 1966 R. J. O'BRIEN ETAL 3,281,051

HERMETICALLY SEALED PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 12, 1963 fizezzforv fa eri zfzarz'em 426 177267 Wfira'as'e, J7:

Oct. 25, 1966 R. J. O'BRIEN HERMETICALLY SEALED PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Aug. 12. 1963 United States Patent O 3,281,051 HERMETICALLY SEALEDPACKAGE Robert J. OBrien, Evanston, and Elmer W. Griese, Jr.,

Skokie, Ill., assignors to Ekco Containers, Inc., a corporation ofIllinois Filed Aug. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 301,435 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) Thisinvention relates to food packages of the general kind used for frozenfoods such as entrees, dinners and the like, and particularly theinvention relates to an improved food package of the aforesaid generalkind that is hermetically sealed and which embodies improved techniquesand merchandising factors not available in prior packages.

According to prior practice in this field, shallow containers, made fromaluminum foil or the like, have been' used as the basic component ofsuch frozen food packages, and after the food has been prepared anddeposited in such containers, covers were secured in place by crimpingof an upstanding edge flange into position over the border portions ofthe cover. The filled containers were then subjected to freezingtemperatures, and after freezing of the contents, the covered containerswere placed in an outer carton which was then closed to provide thecompleted food package. In the ultimate use of such frozen foods, thecovered container was removed from the outer carton, and the cover wasthen removed so that the container might serve as the cooking utensilfor the food.

While it is recognized that it is highly desirable that frozen foods behermetically sealed, prior packages of the aforesaid character havelacked such hermetic sealing characteristics and this has beenconsidered to be objectionable. Despite the absence of a hermetic seal,and despite the rather involved series of handling operations requiredin production, such prior packages have gained wide acceptance in theproduction and marketing of frozen dinners, entrees and the like.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a newand improved frozen food package of the general character abovedescribed but which hermetically seals the food, and a related object isto provide such a hermetically sealed package which may be producedrapidly and economically by automatic machines and mechanisms of knowncapabilities, which has a structural form that provides broad unbrokenouter surfaces for graphic advertising and display material, and whichprotects the flange of the container against bending when the package issubjected to various types of physical mishandling thereby to preservethe hermetic seal of the container in handling and transit.

Another important object of this invention is to provide such animproved hermetically sealed package that enables improved aircirculation to be attained about the package and in contact with thecontainer, thus to facilitate not only the initial freezing but also themaintenance of the proper holding temperature during storage, shipmentand final display in commercial freezer cabinets.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a frozenfood package of the aforesaid character wherein a protective enclosureabout at least four sides of the food container includes one panel thatserves as a cover for the container and which is hermetically sealedacross the top of the container, and a related object is to relate thesides and bottom of such enclosure to the sides and bottom of thecontainer in such a way as to protect the hermetic seal between thecover and the container.

' Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description and claims, and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which,

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by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the presentinvention and the'principles thereof, and What is now considered to bethe best mode in which to apply these principles. Other embodiments ofthe invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be usedand structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in theart without departing from the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hermetically sealed package embodyingthe features of the invention and in which a circular aluminum foilcontainer is sealed and protected by a surrounding sleeve-likeenclosure;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the package in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a face view of the blank that is used in providing theprotective enclosure for the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another hermetically sealed packageembodying the invention and in which a rectangular container is enclosedand sealed by a sleevelike protective enclosure;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view of the packageshown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the blank used in the enclosure for the packageof FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative form of package whereinall six sides of the container are enclosed;

FIG. .8 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken along the line 88of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan View of the cover in place on the container 'but beforeassociation with the lower box sec? tion of the package;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternative form providing ofpackage wherein all six sides of the container are enlower box section.of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another alternativeembodiment of theinvention;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are fragmentary plan views of the cover and bottommembers of the package shown in FIG. 14; and

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 17-17 of FIG. 14.

For purposes of disclosures the invention is herein illustratedinseveral different embodiments in each of which a shallow aluminum foilcontainer, having asmooth surfaced top flange with an impre'vious andrelatively strong cover secured in hermetically sealed relation to thesmooth surfaced top flange, has a protecting enclosure rigidly relatedto the edges of the cover and extended across the bottom and along atleast two of the sides or ends of the container. Thus the protectiveenclosure, in some instances, takes a form in which the cover, thebottom wall and the opposed side walls define an open-sided sleeve whichsurround the container and leave two sides of the container exposed, orin other instances, the cover, and the bottom Wall and the four sidewalls provide a six-sided enclosure for the container. Several specificembodiments of these 3W0 basic forms of the invention will now bedescribed in etail.

In the specific from illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, theinvention is embodied in a heremtiically sealed package 10 thatcomprises a round, top-flanged container 11 that is sealed, surroundedand protected by a protective enclosure 12 that has the sleeve-like formabove described and which includes an impervious cover 3 panel 1123 thatseals the top of the container 11. The protective enclosure 12 isrectangular in plan form so as to facilitate stacking of the sealedpackages in a freezer or in shipping containers.

The container 11 is of conventional shape and is made from aluminum foilwith a smooth walled configuration and with a smooth surfaced top flange11F. The container 11 has a bottom wall 11B, and a smooth sloping sidewall 118, and about at the upper edge of the side wall 118, theoutwardly projecting smooth flange 11F is provided. The flange 11F hasits outer edge formed in a rolled configuration 11R.

The hermetic seal for the container 11 is established by sealing theimpervious cover panel 112-3 to the smooth top surface of the flange11F, and to accomplish this it is only necessary to provide sealant inthe area between the flange 11F and the opposed area of the cover panel.Thus, the sealant may be provided by pattern printing the same on eitherthe flange 11F or the cover panel 1124:, or on both of these elements;or in those instances where the inside surfaces of the cover panel orthe container require a protective surface, the sealant may be appliedas an overall coating on either one or both of such elements. In theform of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, thesealant is applied to as an overall coating 11G on the foil from whichthe container 11 is made so as to protect the inner surface of thecontainer and serve as sealant on the smooth upper face of the flange11F.

The protective enclosure 12 is formed from a rectangular sheet 112, asshown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, this sheet being made primarily of foodgrade paperboard, but being provided with a non-permeamble coating inthose areas where the sleeve is to serve as a hermetically sealed coverfor the container 11. Thus the blank 112 ins of elongated rectangularform and at its left hand end as shown in FIG. 3, it has a partialbottom panel 112-1 that is separated by a fold line 15 from a side panel112-2. The other edge of the side panel 112-2 is defined in part by aninterrupted fold =line 16 and between the adjacent ends of the portionsof the fold line 16, a slit 17 is formed for purposes that willhereinafter-appear.

The side panel 112-2 is connected by the fold line 16 to the cover panel112-3 which is substantially square and is adapted to form the coverthat overlies and is sealed to the rim of the round container 11. At itsother side the cover panel 112-3 is connected to a side panel 112-4 by afold line 18, and at its other side the side panel 112-4 is connected bya fold line 19 to another partial bottom panel 112-5.

The partial bottom panel 112-5 is provided with an adhesive coating 20throughout a portion of its area as indicated in FIG. 3, and thisadhesive coating area may be a hot melt adhesive applied with standardequipment when the panel 112-5 is adhered to the other bottom panel112-1 to complete the sleeve and hold it in the desired form aboutcontainer 11.

The cover panel 112-3 must of course serve as an impervious barrierlayer to complete the hermetic sealing of the container 11, and in orderto'enable this to be accomplished, the cover panel has a imperviouslayer or coating on its inner face. In the present instance theimprevious characteristic is provided by forming the cover panel as ametal foil-paperboard laminate in which a layer 21 of aluminum foil islaminated to the paperboard. The foil layer 21 is provided merely as astrip which covers only the rectangular area of the panel 112-3. Also,in this instance, the aluminum foil, on its exposed inner surface, has acoating 22 of a protective sealant that functions in sealing the coverto the flange 11F of the container as will hereinafter be described.

In order that the ultimate user may readily remove the sealed container11 from the protective enclosure 12 while maintaining the container inits sealed relation, the area of the panel 112-3 that is to form theactual closure for.

panel 112-3.

continuous line of separation which enables removal of the sealedcontainer from the enclosure 12 to be accomplished. Thus, 'weakenedlines 24 of separation are extended to the opposite ends of the slit 17in a concentric arcuate arrangement so as to extend to the fold line 18and define a roughly circular central portion ofthe panel 112-3 that isto constitute the actual closure of the container 11. The arcuate linesof separation 24 extend across the fold line 18 and are connectedtogether at 24T to define a removal tab 124 that extends downwardly intoand is formed by the material of the side panel 1124. The removal tab124 is employed to initiate the removal of the sealed container from theprotective sleeve 12, and then the removal tab 24 may be used to peelthe cover panel from the container 11 so as to expose the contents.

With the blank that is thus formed, the top panel 112-3 is put inposition over the filled container 11, and by usual processes of heatsealing or pressure sealing, or a combination thereof, the sealant inthe area between the flange and the cover is activated so that the coverpanel 112-3 is hermetically sealed across the top of the filledcontainer 11. Then the panels 112-1, 112-3, 112-4 and 112-5 are bentinto position about the container and the sealant or adhesive 20 isactivated or applied so as to seal the overlapped portions of the panels112-1 and 112-5 together in the relationship shown in FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 4 to 6 inclusive, the invention is illustrated as embodied in ahermetically sealed package 210 that comprises a rectangular aluminumfoil container 211 that is surrounded and protected by a sleeve-likeprotective enclosure 212. As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, thecontainer 211 has side walls 2118, a bottom wall 2113, and a smoothoutward border flange 211F about the upper edges of the side walls 2115.Here again, the inner surfaces of the aluminum foil that provides thecontainer 211 has a coating 211G of heat and pressure sensitive sealant.

The sleeve-like enclosure 212 is provided by an elongated rectangularblank made from food grade paperboard, and this blank constitutesessentially a bottom panel 212-1, a side panel 212-2, a top or coverpanel 212-3, a side panel 212-4, and a relatively narrow end panel212-5. The cover panel 212-3 is rendered impervious by a sheet 221 ofaluminum foil laminated thereto, and as'sh'own in FIG. 5, the exposedsurface of the foil sheet 221 has a coating of sealant 222.

The panels 212-1 and 212-2 are joined by a fold line 215, while thepanel-s 212-2 and 2123 are joined by a fold line 216 and an alignedweakened line of separation 217. Theweakened line 217 is extended at317T into the side panel 212-3 opposite the fold line 216 to provide aremoval tab 223 that is employed in the same manner as the removal tab24 in removing the container 211 in its sealed relation from theprotective enclosure 212, and in removing the cover from the container211. At its other end the cover panel 212-3 is joined by a weakened lineof separation 218 to the side panel 212-4 and the other edge of the sidepanel 212-4 is joined by a fold line 219 to the end tab 212-5.

When a rectangular container has been filled, the top panel 212-3 of theblank 212 is put in position across the container and is sealed theretoin the manner described above. The other panels of the blank are thenfolded into position about the container 211 to thereby complete thesleeve-like enclosure 212, and the securing tab 212-5 is sealed to thesealant area 220.

In the present instance, the side panels 212-2 and 212-4 slope inwardly,as shown in FIG. 5, so that the size of the bottom wall of the pan, andthe lower portions of the side panels 312-2 and 3124-! engage the lowercorners of the container. The triangular space between.

the container 211 and the side panels 312-2 and 312-4 serve as aircirculating passages that are advantageous in freezing and storage offrozen foods.

It has been pointed out that under the present invention the protectiveenclosure 12 acts to protect and preserve the hermetic seal of thecontainer 11 during handling and shipping, and this is accomplished byrelating the enclosure 12 to the container 11 in such a way as to resistany tendency of the container to move or shift within the enclosure dueto inertia of the contents of the container. To this end the side panels112-2 and 112-4 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are arranged toslope inwardly and downwardly so that their junctures with the bottompanels 112-1 and 112-5 snugly engage the opposed junctures of the sideand bottom walls of the container 11. With this relationship of theparts, the bottom of the container 11 is held by a combined structuraland frictional action against any tendency to shift with respect to theprotective enclosure 12.

Similar protection may be afforded in the event that the side panels112-2 and 112-4 are to be arranged in vertical positions, this beingaccomplished by an adhesive or sealant 20A applied as indicated in FIG.3, to the panel 112-1 so that it will act to fix the bottom wall of theenclosure 12 to the bottom wall 11B of the container 11. Thisarrangement may also be employed in combination with the sloping wallstructure of FIG. 2.

Two embodiments of the invention that have been thus far describedconstitute packages wherein the container is surrounded on but foursides by an enclosure that is sleeve-like in character and whichprovides cover means hermetically sealed across the top of thecontainer. This sleeve-like arrangement may be produced in a continuousmachine operation where the cover material is first sealed onto the rimof the container and the extensions of the cover material are thenfolded around and secured together to provide the sleeve-like form forthe protective enclosure. This provides a rugged package that may behandled in freezing, packing and shipping without excessive danger ofdisturbance or breaking of the hermetic seal, and because of thepassages through the sleeve along the ends or opposite sides of thecontainer, the package is particularly advantageous where the contentsare to be frozen by an air blast type of freezing installation.

When the package is in the hands of the user, the container in itssealed relationship may be quickly and easily removed from the bottomand the end elements of the enclosure by use of the removal tab 24 or224 which enables the cover to be detached by being torn along the tearlines that are provided at opposite ends of the cover. After removal ofthe sealed container from the enclosure, the removal tab may then beutilized to break the hermetic seal and remove the cover from thecontainer.

As pointed out hereinabove, the present invention may also be embodiedin a hermetically sealed package wherein a protective enclosure isextendes along the bottom and the four sides of the container andprovides a cover in hermetically sealed relationship to the flange ofthe container. One such embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 of thedrawings wherein the invention is embodied in a package 310 that has acontainer 311 surrounded by a protective closure 312. The container 310is of the kind hereinbefore described, and has upper edge flanges 311Fthat have smooth upper surfaces so that a cover panel 312-3 may behermetically sealed and secured across the top of the container in themanner that has been hereinbefore described.

In this embodiment of the invention, the top panel 312-3 is initiallyformed as a flat blank that is shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings and thecover panel 312-3 is independent of a lower box section 312B which isassociated with the cover panel 312-3 at a later stage in the packagingoperation, as will be described.

The cover panel 312-3 is rectangular in character and has glue flaps3128 along its opposite sides and has glue flaps 312E extended fromopposite ends of the cover panel. Initially the blank for the coverpanel 312 is left in its flat condition and is secured in the mannerhereinbefore described to the smooth upper surfaces of the edge flanges311F. This provides the desired hermetic seal for the container 311.

The sealed container is then secured to the lower box section 312B andthis may be accomplished through the use of conventional box makingapparatus. The lower box section 312B as herein disclosed is formed as acollapsible or folding box where fold lines 29 are provided in the sidewalls of the box section 312B to that the end walls may be folded downand the box section 312B may be preformed and shipped flat to the placewhere it is to be assembled as a part of the package 310. After thecollapsed lower box section has been erected and the sealed container311 has been placed therein, glue flaps 3128 and 312E have glue appliedthereto and are bent downwardly against the upper outer surface of theside and end walls of the lower box section 312B, thus to permanentlyassociate the lower box section with the several glue flaps. Thisprovides a rugged package, and if desired, adhesive 320 may be appliedbetween the bottom wall of the container 311 and the bottom wall of thebox section 312B to prevent shifting movement of the lower part of thecontainer due to inertia of the frozen contents of the container 311.

To simplify removal of the sealed container 311 from the protectiveenclosure 312, the flaps 312E and 3128 are joined to the top panel 312-3along weakend lines of separation 317, and the side and end walls of thebottom section 312 have weakened lines of separation 318 formed thereinspaced downwardly from the lower edges of the glue flaps. A pull out tab324 is formed in a least one side wall of the lower box section 312B toenable the user to start the tearing of the removal or tear strip thatis provided by the weakened lines 317 and 318. Thus the user may use theremoval tab 324 to release the sealed box section 321B, and after thishas been done, the top or cover panel 312P may be peeled from itsclosing position.

In FIGS. 10 to 13 another form of-fully enclosed package is illustratedas embodied in a package 410 that has a container 411 housed within aprotective enclosure 412 that extends about all six sides of thecontainer. The container may be of the form hereinbefore described witha smoothed surface top flange 411F to which a cover panel 412-3 may besealed in the manner hereinbefore described. The cover panel 412-3 isinitially independent of a lower box section 412B. Such association inthe present instance is accomplished through the use of an interlockingsystem that is well-known in the packaging art as the Klicklok systemthat is widely licensed in the packaging industry by Klicklok Division,Atlas General Industries, 405 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, New York,and

which is of such a character that the two elements of a box may bemechanically interlocked with each other by automatic machinery that ismade and sold by the aforesaid company.

Thus -the cover panel 412-3 has foldable side flaps 4125 along itsopposite side edges and has foldable end flaps 412-3 extended from itsopposite ends and initially these flaps are disposed in the plane of thecover panel 412-3. In this condition, the cover panel 41-2-3 is put inposition in its hermetically sealed relationship on the container 411,and thereafter the flaps are bent downwardly and are locked inassociation with cooperating elements on the lower box section 4123.

It is noted that FIG. 13 shows a plan view of the blank that is used informing the lower box section 412B, and this bot-tom blank includes arectangular bottom wall 412-1 that is of a size such that the bottomwall of the container 411 may be rested thereon. The bottom wall 412-1has side flaps 5128 and end flaps 512E that are joined to the bottomwall 412-1 along fold lines.

The end flaps 412E and 512E of the upper and lower blanks have arelatively simple interlocking relationship wherein the end flaps 512Ehave a plurality of spaced tongues 612 with spaces therebetween alongthe free edge of the end flap. The end flaps 412E of the cover panelhave similar tongue 712E that are spaced apart and are located indifferent positions so that the tongues 612E may extend into and throughthe spaces between the tongues 712E, and this produces an interlockingrelationship that holds the flap 412 and 512 together to form acontinuous end wall.

The manner of joining or associating the side flaps is quite difl erent,in that the side flaps 412S of the cover panel 412-3 have a plurality ofslits 33 formed therein parallel to the edges of the flaps. The sideflaps 5125 of the lower box section have projecting, foldable lockingtongues 34 formed thereon in a spaced relationship so that these lockingtongues may be bent to positions substantially at right angles to theide flaps 512S and may be forced endwise into the slots 33. The form andrelationship of the tongues and the slots is such that a definiteinterlocking relationship is established when the tongues 34 are forcedin their extreme positions within the slots 33. This interlocks thelower box sections 4128 with the cover panel 412-3 and provides a fullenclosure for the container 411. As above pointed out, this assemblyoperation may be performed on commercial machines of testedcapabilities. In this instance the lower box section 412B may be readilyseparated from the container and the associated cover panel 412-3 merelyby withdrawing the tongues 34 from the slots 33 with which they areengaged, and the user may then strip the cover panels 412-3 from the topof the container 411.

In FIGS. 14 to 17 another alternative embodiment of the invention isillustrated wherein a pack-age 710 is provided having a container 711housed within a protective enclosure 712 that is sleeve-like in form.The container 711 may be of the form hereinbefore described, and thecontainer is hermetically sealed by a cover panel 712-3 in the mannerdescribed. The panel 712-3 is initially formed as a flat blank that isshown in FIG. 15, and this blank has glue flaps 712$ formed alongopposite edges and defined by weakened tear lines 720 for purposes thatwill appear hereinafter.

The panel 712-3 constitutes part of the sleeve-like protective enclosure712, and the balance of the enclosure is provided by a paperboard blankshown in FIG. 16 which has a bottom panel 712-1 with side panels 812$along opposite edges thereof and joined thereto along fold lines 718.The side panels 812S also have weakened tear lines 724 parallel to andspaced from the fold line 718, for purposes to be described.

After the container 711 has been sealed by the cover panel 712-3, thesealed container is moved into position over the bottom panel 712-1, andthe glue flaps 712S are bent down and glued against the outer surfacesof the side panels 812$. The tear lines 720 and 724 then define a tearstrip for use in opening the package. The juncture of the panel 712-1with the side walls 812S embraces the lower side corner of the containerso as to impart strength to the package as described in connection withFIGS. 1 to 6, and the sleeve-like protective enclosure provides for freeair flow within and through the package to facilitate the originalfreezing as well as maintenance of the required l-ow holding temperaturein storage and transit.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides a new and improved food package wherein the contentsof relatively light and disposable containers are hermetically sealed insuch a way that the seal is protected during handling and shipping, andit will also be apparent that this invention provides a food package ofthe aforesaid character that may be assembled in a simple manner, andwhich provides a protective enclosure that serves as a carrier forgraphic advertising and display material of the kind that is desirablein merchandising frozen foods. It will also be evident that the loading,sealing and completion of the package of this invention may beprovidedin a continuous manner by machines and mechanisms of knowncapability, thus to adapt the package particularly for use Where highvolume protection is desired.

Thus, while preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustratedherein, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopeof the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A package for food or the like comprising a metal foil containerhaving a bottom wall, side walls and an open top, said side wallsterminating in a flat flanged portion, and an enclosure of paperboardconstruction encircling said container, a portion of said enclosuresealed to said flange of said container so as to serve as the coverthereof, said enclosure being provided with weakened lines of separationdisposed outwardly of said'seal so that said wrap may be detached fromsaid package without breaking said seal.

2. The package as set forth in claim,1 wherein said cover portion andflange are coated with an adhesive and are hermetically sealed.

3. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein only said cover portion ofsaid enclosure is formed with a layer of foil or the like to provide animpervious barrier covering said container.

4. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said weakened line ofseparation defines a tab adapted to be grasped manually to facilitateremoval.

5. A package according to claim 1 wherein two opposide side walls of theenclosure slope toward each other to locate the junctures of such sidewalls and bottom Wall of the enclosure in snug engagement with theadjacent junctures of the side and bottom walls of the container.

References Cited by the Examiner THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

M. L. RICE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PACKAGE FOR FOOD OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A METAL FOIL CONTAINERHAVING A BOTTOM WALL, SIDE WALLS AND AN OPEN TOP, SAID SIDE WALLSTERMINATING IN A FLAT FLANGED PORTION, AND AN ENCLOSURE OF PAPERBOARDCONSTRUCTION ENCIRCLING SAID CONTAINER, A PORTION OF SAID ENCLOSURESEALED TO SAID FLANGE OF SAID CONTAINER SO AS TO SERVE AS THE COVERTHEROF, SAID ENCLOSURE BEING PROVIDED WITH WEAKENED LINES OF SEPARATIONDISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF SAID SEAL SO